1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is a perpendicular rack for peg rack and shelf rack support. More specifically, it is a perpendicular rack which may be used in the spacial areas of uprights, supports or standards which are located between shelf or bubble pack rack walls and at their ends. In other words, traditional display shelving and rack units have three components, namely, the supports or uprights (standards) the walls or back members, and the shelves, peg hooks, etc. which are attached to the walls. The present invention racks are for attachment to the supports between the walls and extend perpendicularly from the walls and supports, so as to optimize use of air space which does not interface with space devoted to merchandise or otherwise goes unused.
2. Information Disclosure Statement
The following parts represent merely a survey of various display racks:
U.S. Pat. No. 5,632,387 to M. H. Johnson describes a peg racking device for displaying merchandise. The peg racking device includes an elongated shaft having a bracket which is attachable to a wall, and a removable sleeve which is axially moveable along the shaft. The bracket includes lands and the rear end of the sleeve includes a notch with interface surfaces, the interface surfaces being engageable with the lands to align the sleeve and prevent rotational movement between the sleeve and the shaft. Either the sleeve or the shaft may include a bend located intermediate the rear and front ends to create an interference fit between the sleeve and the shaft, the sleeve being readily axially moveable along the shaft at least until the bend is encountered so that the sleeve frictionally contacts the shaft to prevent the sleeve from sliding off of the shaft as a package is removed from the peg.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,579,927 to Jennings I. Thompson et al. describes a peg racking device which facilitates loading of new inventory on the back of the peg without removing the existing inventory from the front of the peg so that the inventory is sold on a FIFO basis. The device includes an elongated shaft, the rear end of which is attachable to a wall, and a removable sleeve which is axially moveable along the shaft. A locking mechanism is provided having first and second elements, the first element being carried by the shaft and the second element being carried by the sleeve. The first and second elements engage one another in the locked position to prevent relative axial movement of the sleeve with respect to the shaft. The device may include a handle having a cavity formed to receive the front end of the sleeve to assist in removing the sleeve from the shaft and replacing the sleeve on the shaft, reducing the risk of dropping the sleeve and/or inventory on the sleeve during the restocking process.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,573,124 to Michael J. Frost describes a display rack which improves the status of the prior art by incorporating the following functional features, namely: (1) compact profile for high density storage and display of various merchandise configurations, (2) breakdown into easily handled, stored and shipped basic pieces, (3) easily assembled construction of few pieces, and (4) attractive display of a wide variety of stored merchandise. This is achieved by the novel construction afforded by two basic lightweight wire grid framework panels held together in a T-shaped configuration adapted to receive removably mounted shelves in a variety of locations within the confines of a rectangular parallel piped defined by the framework. The shelves are basket shaped and adapted to mount explicitly for products of various heights on opposite sides of the T leg panel. The entire display rack assembly thus provides a compact cabinet which can be placed in a crowded showroom along an aisle for storing and viewing merchandise removably on the top and three sides. The framework packs stored articles within the entire volume of the cabinet for viewing from a front vertical display rack and two side racks containing vertically disposed removable basket shaped shelves disposed to accommodate merchandise of variable heights and shapes. The front panel constitutes a display rack for hanging merchandise on the outer surface of a lightweight wire rack panel of the T-shaped wire grid framework, which is capped top and bottom by metal end caps having encompassing vertically disposed sidewalls.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,718,562 to A. C. Winkler, Jr. describes a vertical display for packages. One or more mounting members are removably secured to a support structure. Each of the mounting members includes one or more arms extending from the support structure for supporting a plurality of the packages. The packages are each received in separate holders that are vertically suspended from the arms of the mounting members for display.
Notwithstanding the prior art, the present invention is neither taught nor rendered obvious thereby.
The present invention racks are uniquely positionable between usual and typical displays such as modular peg board systems supports or modular shelving systems wherein the peg boards or shelf backs are supported at their ends by stanchions, standards or vertical supports which interconnect with the peg boards or shelf backs or shelf supports. These supports have a series of in-line vertical slots and the present invention display racks nest therein at perpendicular positions to the supports to occupy the spaces between the peg board displays and/or shelves.
Thus, the present invention perpendicular display rack includes:
(a) a main frame having portions connected to one another to form a first device capable of holding a package, e.g. display card capable of holding product samples, made-up projects, photos, signage and promotional materials, within its main frame. (By xe2x80x9cpackagexe2x80x9d is meant any physically insertable and removable item for display, sale or sample purposes, including mounted goods, wrapped goods, signage, booklets, pamphlets and the like.) The main frame creates and encompasses open space in x-plane, y-plane and z-plane. It has an inserting side, having sufficient opening to insert a package therein, and having an attachment side adapted for attachment to a vertical support;
(b) vertical attachment means connected to the attachment side of-the main frame and having at least two insertable sections, each being alignable and insertable into vertical slots of the vertical support; and,
(c) a secondary frame extending downwardly from the main frame, and having portions connected to one another to form a second device capable of holding another package, e.g. leaflets, coupons, entry forms, project instruction sheets, therein. The secondary frame likewise creates and encompasses space in x-plane, y-plane and z-plane, and has an inserting side with sufficient opening to insert a package therein.
In some preferred embodiments, the main frame forms a six sided rectilinear first device having a top, bottom, front, back, an aisle side and an attachment side, and the inserting side is selected from the top, the front, the back and the aisle side, but is preferably at the top. The present invention racks may be made of solid or open frame structures, and may be formed of any available material or materials, e.g. wood, plastic, metal, combinations or composites. In some preferred embodiments, the device is formed of open frame wire material selected from hollow: tubular material and solid wire material.
In preferred embodiments, there is also a securing means for securing at least one vertical attachment means to a vertical support. This cold be a clamp, a key lock, a combination lock, a bolted latch or any other known securing means. However, in some preferred embodiments, the vertical attachment of the main frame is adapted to receive a j-hook attachment means which is threaded at the straight end wherein the hook of the j-hook is nested upwardly in a slot of a vertical support below the vertical attachment of the main frame and is bolted down to prevent easy removal or accidental removal. Thus, in some embodiments, the securing means is a combination of at least one orifice located on at least one of the vertical attachments and a fastening device is adapted to pass through the orifice and securely attach to at least one vertical slot of a vertical support.
In some embodiments, the secondary frame forming a second device has at least two connections to remaining aspects of the display rack, at least one being directly to the main frame and at least one being to at least one of the two insertable sections of the main frame.
In yet other preferred embodiments, the perpendicular display rack further includes a removable cover which is attachable to the main frame. The cover is slidably attachable and removable, and has at least four sides, at least one of which is transparent. The perpendicular display rack removable cover and the main frame may include cover securing means to inhibit removal of the cover from the main frame., e.g. bolting mechanisms. The perpendicular display rack may include a slidable display card for mounting which is replaceable with each featured product or promotion.